WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Harrow Fair is the latest event to be cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the Colchester South and Harrow Agricultural Society announced the cancellation of the 165-year county fair due to safety concerns associated with the novel coronavirus.
“We will be forever grateful for the sacrifices made by the many front line workers during these times and are unwilling to put those sacrifices at risk by believing current restrictions will be lessened sufficiently within the next 100 days to hold the 166th presentation of the Harrow Fair in September 2020 as originally planned,” said Ed Gibbs, president of the agricultural society.
In an interview with CTV News, spokesperson Emma Denotter says the decision was made in a virtual board meeting on Thursday.
The 165-year fair has been a staple in the region through the birth of Canada and the 1918 flu epidemic but, the risks around COVID-19 proved to be too high a hurdle to clear.
“I don’t believe it have has been [cancelled],” said Denotter.
Denotter shares the disappointment with many residents across Essex County and from outside of the region who attend the fair every year.
“I’ve grown up at the Harrow Fair and that was always our end of summer tradition,” Denotter said.
The fair, which was set to be held over the Labour Day weekend in September, is a key tourism driver for the small town. Without it, businesses already struggling through health restrictions may have an even more difficult time rebounding once those measures are lifted.
"The economic impact of this decision will be felt by many charitable groups, vendors, entertainers, and local businesses that rely on the Harrow Fair, some as their main/major source of revenue,” said Gibbs in a statement.
According to Denotter, the board didn’t feel there were precautions that could be put in place in order to keep fair-goers safe and prevent potential transmission of the virus.
“We just want to keep our community in mind,” said Denotter. “The plexiglass and the arrows going up and down rows, that’s just not possible for a fair environment.”
The 166th edition of the fair has been rescheduled for September 2, 3, 4 and 5 of 2021.
